7 Questions with Dan St. Germain

by Ryan Meehan

Dan St Germain was chosen as a featured comic in Variety’s annual prestigious “10 Comics To Watch” list, was listed as one of Paste Magazine’s Top 10 Great Underrated Comedians, named Time Out NY’s “Comedy Break Out” of 2013, and he’s currently developing a show with FOX. He’s got a Half Hour special on Comedy Central and has appeared on Jimmy Fallon, Conan, Best Week Ever, @Midnight, We Love the 2000′s, John Oliver’s New York Stand-Up Show, The Electric Company, Guy Code, and will be on Friends of the People this fall. He’s the creator and star of the web series Kicking Dan Out featured on My Damn Channel, In Security on Comedy Central Studios, and has collaborated with Above Average. Dan’s been a guest on WTF with Marc Maron, Carolla, You Made it Weird, Ron and Fez, Bob and Tom, Fitzdog Radio, and The Artie Lange Show. He’s starred in a Super Bowl commercial with Howard Stern, Jack Links promos for Comedy Central, and was selected by Time Out New York as having one of the best jokes about New York City, a list that included Woody Allen. Check out My Dumb Friends, his podcast on the All Things Comedy Network and his album Bad at the Good Times on AST Records which was listed as one of 2014′s best in Paste Magazine. To top it all off, he’s also our guest today in 7 questions.

RM: What was the first joke that you ever wrote; and what was it about the reaction that you got which caused you to keep writing more?

DSG: I don’t know the exact one but I used to do one liners with glasses on or as I liked to call it Mitch “Fatberg”.

RM: What’s the most overrated aspect of being a stand-up comedian?

DSG: The aspect of free speech. Sure you can say whatever you want, but it better be funny. Otherwise you’re just Lenny Bruce if he dropped out of junior college.

RM: @Midnight looks like it’s a lot of fun…What’s the best part about doing that show?

DSG: Working with the writers. Got to work with Jesse Joyce, who’s a buddy of mine.

RM: Why do you think that you ended up on a list of the best “underrated comics”? Do you personally think there something about your delivery or style which might lead people to believe that you’re not as good as you really are?

DSG: Haha! That’s a loaded question. I’m happy to be on any list as long as it’s not the “Guys who should just give up” list.

RM: What can you tell us about the show you’re working on with FOX that is in the developmental stage?

DSG: It was a blind script deal so I’m just getting around to formally pitching the idea. I’m excited about it but won’t say what it is in fear of jinxing it.

RM: I see you’re on Twitter…What is it about that medium that allows you to write jokes that might not necessarily work in your stand-up act?

DSG: I actually don’t use Twitter as much as other comics. I’m a novice. Check out Joe Mande and Jake Weisman. They’re my favorites on it.

RM: What did you set out to accomplish with your web series “In Security”? Did you think you reached your goal as far as developing characters that viewers could relate to and find entertaining?

DSG: I got to work with a lot of great people during it and thought there was funny stuff in it. Of course you wish you could get a second season to further develop the characters but I’m grateful to Dan Powell and Comedy Central for the opportunity to put out a first.

RM: What’s up next for you in the remainder of 2014 and beyond? Anything big in the works that we should know about?

DSG: Working on the Fox show and another project intensely. My podcast at All Things Comedy comes out every week and I’ll be on the road in Portland, Providence, Sommerville, San Diego, Seattle, D.C., Baltimore, upstate NY, San Fran, and a few other cities/towns.